Koigokoro: A Symphony in Three Parts
by BatmanSwiss
Summary: [COMPLETE] Inuyasha and Kagome have another argument, and must work through their emotions before deciding if they really do belong together.
1. Movement One

**Author's Note: This will eventually be a three-part story based on three songs. The first is from Kagome's POV, set to My Immortal. And, for those of you reading Castle, I am almost finished with the next chapter. A bout with the flu and some writer's block, combined with two computer crashes (which erased the almost completed chapter AND another almost completed story!) have set me behind a bit. Along with that, I must apoligize for spelling and grammar errors...I have not put Word back on the computer yet. **

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Inuyasha. Nor do I own the song My Immortal. For those of you who do not know the song, it is written and performed by Evanescence.**

Koigokoro: A Symphony in Three Parts

Part One; Heartache

By: JediK1

Kagome ran through the forest, heedless of the branches that whipped across her tear-stained face. Blood from the small cuts mingled with the tears, trickling down her face in tiny rivers, but the young miko did not care. She ran with a single-mindness that would have scared her under normal circumstances, but now it seemed to be her only choice.

_**I'm so tired of being here**_

_**Supressed by all my childish fears**_

After tripping over several tree roots, Kagome reached her destination. The girl stumbled to a halt at the edge of the clearing, pausing only long enough to look back at the forested path behind her.

_He won't come for me..._

_**And if you have to leave**_

_**I wish that you would just leave**_

Tears trailed behind the sobbing girl as she floated through the portal known as the Bone-Eaters Well. As her feet once more connected with solid ground, she collapsed, letting the weight of her grief bear her to the ground. _How could he...after everything we've been through...how could he say that to me?_

Choking back a sob, Kagome stood on shaking legs and reached for the ladder that her grandfather had placed in the well for her. Her mind went numb as she slowly climbed to the top and exited the portal. The images from earlier that evening ran unbidden across her vision, obscuring everything around her as she blindly exited the well house located at the edge of the Higurashi shrine.

_**Your presence still lingers here**_

_**And it won't leave me alone**_

Her reviere was broken as she bumped into something, and a gasp left her lips as her eyes trailed up the object blocking her path. _No, not again! I can't face him again! _Kagome backed away from the ancient tree that stood silently before her, fearing that he would still be standing just on the other side, anger burning in his golden eyes...

An icy breeze wound its way through her raven hair, pulling her out of the memory. She found herself aware for the first time that she was back home and not in the feudal era that she had just fled from. The fenced in tree that stood before her now was five hundred years older than the one that she had just seen.

_**These wounds won't seem to heal**_

_**This pain is just to real**_

_**There's just to much that time cannot erase**_

Kagome fell to her knees in front of the ancient sentinel. _Why, Goshinboku? _Large brown eyes gazed at the tree, almost as though expecting it to answer. Silence was the only message that the tree could give, and it was the response that it handed to the weeping girl now. Kagome lowered her eyes, closing them tight against the vision that haunted her. It had started out as just another stupid argument, but had turned into so much more...

* * *

"Inuyasha, I can take care of myself! Now just go away!" 

Kagome was in one of those moods again, and all she wanted was a quiet evening walk near the Goshinboku to clear her head. But Inuyasha had followed her, refusing to give her the few precious moments that she needed.

"No you can't. Every time I let you outta my sight, you get into trouble. Who knows what kinda demons are lurking around out here, waiting to eat your soul or something!"

Kagome stopped walking away, her arms tensing at her side. "Inuyasha, SIT!"

The resounding thud behind her gave her little comfort, however. The headache that she had been hoping to dismiss was growing steadily worse, along with her temper. The cause of the headache had been the stress from the last few weeks. She was both mentally and emotionally exhausted after the ordeal with Gatenmaru and Inuyasha's transformation. He had almost lost his own soul that time, and just the thought of that day and the slaughter that had taken place was enough to cause her to breakdown now. All she wanted to do was have some time to think by herself, and he denied her even that!

By now Inuyasha had picked himself off the ground, his own temper rising quickly. "What'd ya do that for, Kagome?

Kagome whirled on him, and Inuyasha took a step back. Tears were threatening to spill from her eyes, which were burning with pain and anger. Maybe he'd said something he shouldn't have...

"I'm not the one who almost lost their soul, Inuyasha! Or did you forget what happened a few days ago? Your demon side almost consumed you, and there wasn't anything I could do to help you!"

Inuyasha, confused, retreated to the only defense he had when someone grew angry, and therefore did not stop to think of the consequenses before he opened his mouth. "Well, who asked you to do anything! I sure as hell didn't! I've managed to control my demon side my whole life without you or anyone else, so I don't need you or any other pathetic human to protect me from it now!"

"Inuyasha..." Kagome's brown eyes shone bright in the rising moon, and she let her arms fall to her sides as the hanyou's angry words sliced through her heart.

The half demon was too caught up in his own anger now to know when to back off. He continued, uttering the words that they would both later regret. "Oh, so what? Your gonna cry now? You really are pathetic! At least when Kikyo was around I didn't have to deal with bawling humans all the damn time! Why don't you just go home, if you can't handle it anymore?"

That had been the last straw, and Kagome stared at him, dumbfounded. _How could he?_ She turned then, fleeing into the Forest of Inuyasha, running toward the Well and away from the hanyou who had just shredded her bleeding heart and thrown it back in her face.

* * *

The young miko pounded a delicate fist into the ground, forcing the memory from her mind. It was too fresh; she could not bear to face it again just yet. After everything that they had been through together; all of the times that she had stayed by his side, even when it meant her own life was in danger, and even the most recent time when she had stayed by his side after his latest transformation, trying helping him through his fear of being consumed... Through everything, she had stayed at his side, and she had given him her heart. 

_**When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears,**_

_**When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears.**_

_**I held your hand through all of these years.**_

_**But you still have...**_

_**All of me**_

He had taken her heart and ripped it to shreds, throwing the shattered pieces to the wind. Now she was left, a broken shell, kneeling in front of the God Tree in her own time. She couldn't go back to him, not now.

Kagome sobbed. She let her sadness roll over her in waves, stealing her breath and leaving her gasping for air. The power of her grief was frightening, and after a few moments she fought to gain control of herself once more. Soon, the sobs were reduced to sporadic hiccups, and she once more dared to raise her eyes to the tree before her. New images pushed into her crowded mind, and Kagome found herself lost to them.

She could see the tree as it was when she had first looked upon it in the feudal era. Pinned to its grey, textured bark was a boy with silver hair and dog ears. She watched herself approach the sleeping boy, and on the breeze she could hear her own thoughts. _He looks so peaceful..._

The scene shifted to shortly after that, when she was also pinned to the tree by Mistress Centipede. She watched herself grasp Kikyo's arrow, dissolving it in a burst of lavender light. That had started the entire adventure, and Kagome had soon found herself tied to this mysterious boy and the life that he had put on hold fifty years before...

_**You used to captivate me by your resonating mind,**_

_**Now I'm bound by the life you left behind**_

Kagome shook her head, trying to clear the memories. But they refused to be silenced, as though some other being were forcing her to relive her time with the man who had just broken her heart.

The scene shifted suddenly, and she saw herself sitting at the base of the tree. Kagome looked closely, and she could see that her finger was bleeding. _Wait a moment, I remember this... _

It was around the time that Mnenomaru had awakened. She had spotted a Sacred Jewel shard in the trunk of the tree, near the scar that Inuyasha's imprisonment had left behind. When she had reached for it, the shard had pierced her finger.

A broken gasp escaped her ruby lips as she watched Inuyasha approach. She could faintly hear him ask if she was alone, but she paid him no mind as she waited for what she knew was coming next. The hanyou began ripping apart her favorite hankerchief, and the miko wacthed as he gently tied the cloth to her bleeding finger.

The memory disappeared, and was replaced by the image of herself, standing in the falling snow. After Mnenomaru had used her to attack Inuyasha, Kikyo had pushed her through the well. The image of him collapsed against that tree had burned itself into her memory that day. She still remembered everything, including the horror she had felt at the time. She couldn't believe that she had hurt him.

_**Your face it haunts my once pleasant dreams**_

_**Your voice has chased away all the sanity in me**_

Just like she couldn't believe that he had hurt her now.

_**These wounds won't seem to heal,**_

_**this pain is just too real,**_

_**there's just too much that time cannot erase.**_

The image shifted again, this time changing rapidly. Scene after scene assulted her, overwhelming her with conflicting emotions. She watched as Inuyasha awaoke from Kikyo's spell, barely avoiding being drug into Hell with his past love. Then Kagome was forced to relive the time that Inuyasha promised his life to the same woman who had pinned him to the God Tree fifty years before. The images would not stop coming, each one lingering just long enough to break her heart again before moving on to the next. The young girl could not stop the procession of memories; all she could do was curl her hands into fists until her palms bled freely onto the frozen ground below.

_**When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears,**_

_**When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears.**_

_**I held your hand through all of these years.**_

_**But you still have...**_

_**All of me**_

"Kagome?"

Kagome drifted back to consciousness at the sound of her mothers voice. As she opened her chocolate eyes, she wondered briefly why she was laying on the ground.

Then the previous night came back to her, including the strange parade of memories that she had been helpless to stop. Along with those memories came the tears, and she stood, throwing herself into her mothers arms. "Oh, Mom!"

Mrs. Higurashi had no idea why her daughter was home, much less any clue as to why she had fallen asleep on the frozen ground beneath the Goshinboku. Nor did she know why her Kagome was covered in small cuts and dried blood. But regardless of the reason, she gathered her daughter close and led her inside the warm house to clean her up and get her a cup of hot tea. Kagome let her mother lead her, lost in her own thoughts as she tried to make sense of what had happened to her last night.

_**I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone**_

Once Mrs. Higurashi had washed her daughters wounds and settled her at the table with something warm to drink, she left in search of her father-in-law. Whatever was bothering Kagome, she knew that the older man would be of no help to her right now.

Kagome did not even notice when her mother left the room. She was barely even aware of the tea that sat on the table in front of her, even though she sipped at it absently. _Why did I see those things? I didn't want to remember them...but something made me._

Her eyes focused briefly, and Kagome turned her head to look out the window. The sunlight was streaming in, bathing the red and gold of the autumn leaves in a soft glow. A gentle breeze shook the shedding limbs, and the falling leaves shimmered slightly as the wind carried them slowly to the ground. The girl closed her eyes against the beauty of the moment, unable to appriciate the world around her while her heart was breaking.

The sound of the chair dragging across the kithen floor broke the silence of the room. Kagome stood, making her way back outside and back to the base of the Goshinboku. She remembered suddenly something her mother had told her once. She had told her that the tree held all of their memories. Maybe that was what had happened to her last night...for some reason the Goshinboku had played back for her the memories that she had made with Inuyasha. Now it was apparently up to her to decide what she would do with those memories. They were a mix of god and bad times; of soft, secretive smiles and of tears and heartache.

Kagome sighed, trying to expell the pain that still ached deep within her young heart. There was no use; no matter how hard she tried, she could not shake Inuyasha from her life. For some strange reason they were tied together, bound by some invisible thread that bridged even the great gap of five hundred years in time.

_**But though you're still with me**_

A sad, knowing smile slipped across her ruby lips. Even though they were connected, there was still a distance between them. Inuyasha would have to be able to accept and let go of his past, or they would never truly be able to leap that final gorge that lay between them. In order for that to happen, he would have to let Kikyo go, and learn how to face the demon that tempted him from within. But he just didn't seem to have the desire to take that final step.

_**I've been alone all the way**_

One more memory drifted to the surface of her consciousness as she wiped the last tear from her smooth cheek. She smiled, nodding slightly as she moved back toward her home. The memory was of a silent promise that she had made to Inuyasha; to stay by his side, no matter what. And now, as she quietly thanked her mother and grabbed a few things from her bedroom, she made another promise.

_**When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears,**_

_**When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears.**_

_**I held your hand through all of these years**_

_I promise to follow my heart. Wherever it draws me, that's where I have to go. Even if that means a million more heartaches and tears. And right now, my heart is telling me that I have to go back; I have to return to him. _That's_ where I belong._

_**But you still have...**_

_**All of me.**_


	2. Movement Two

Disclaimer: The song is Breaking the Habit performed by Linkin Park, so it doesn't belong to me. I guess that means that Inuyasha doesn't, either. sigh

Part Two: Confusion

_**Memories consume**_

_**Like opening the wound**_

_**I'm picking me apart again**_

_"Oh, so what? Your gonna cry now? You really are pathetic! At least when Kikyo was around I didn't have to deal with bawling humans all the damn time! Why don't you just go home, if you can't handle it anymore?"_

_That had been the last straw, and Kagome stared at him, dumbfounded. How could he? She turned then, fleeing into the Forest of Inuyasha, running toward the Well and away from the hanyou who had just shredded her bleeding heart and thrown it back in her face._

Inuyasha stared at the retreating form of the girl as she ran. What had just happened? He knew it was his fault that the scent of salty tears drifted heavily on the evening breeze, but he had no clue as to how the argument had gotten out of hand. Every part of him screamed to go after her, to tell her that he was sorry. But the pride that ruled his troubled heart forced him to simply stand there until the young miko was gone.

His golden eyes glowed in the faint light as he stared at the spot where Kagome had been just moments ago. _Why did she wander off by herself in the first place? Didn't she know that it just wasn't safe? _Or was she willing to risk her own safety just to get away from him?

_**You all assume**_

_**I'm safe here in my room**_

_**Unless I try to start again**_

With one fluid motion, the hanyou leaped onto a high branch in the old tree. It was odd, how his former prison had become his santuary, he thought as he settled onto the thick, leafy limb. But even the old tree failed to offer him comfort now as he stared down at the ground below. Two glowing, golden orbs focused on the spot that he and Kagome had just occupied, and a low growl emerged from deep within his throat. _How does that damn girl manage to get under my skin like that? _Inuyasha let the frustration course through his body, the lean muscles of his arms rippling as he unknowingly tightened his grip on the perch. All he had asked was that she stay near Keade's hut, so that he could watch over her...so that he could protect her. But she had taken off anyway. And then he had gone after her, following the soft scent of roses and spring rain until he reached the Goshinboku. After finding her, he had yelled at her for stealing away, wandering into a dangerous forest filled with demons that would give anything to make an evening snack out of her.

But he had said more than that, hadn't he? He'd also said something about demons stealing her soul...it had been added on as an after-thought, and he hadn't even given it a second thought until now.

_**I don't want to be the one**_

_**the battles always choose**_

_**'Cause inside I realize **_

_**that I'm the one confused.**_

_"I'm not the one who almost lost their soul, Inuyasha! Or did you forget what happened a few days ago? Your demon side almost consumed you, and there wasn't anything I could do to help you!"_

_Oh shit, _he thought as he pushed a lock of unruly silver hair from his eyes. That's where things had gone wrong. _She must still be upset about that whole Gatenmaru thing...how could I have been so stupid?_ A slight shifting of his weight left him sitting back on his haunches, his clawed hands grasping the branch at his feet for added support. He had been so wrapped up in his own warring emotions that he had missed the tell-tale signs. _She was worried about me, and I threw it back in her face!_

_**I don't know what's worth fighting for**_

_**or why I have to scream.**_

_**I don't know why I instigate**_

_**and say what I don't mean.**_

_**I don't know how I got this way**_

_**I know it's not all right**_

_**So I'm breaking the habit**_

_**I'm breaking the habit**_

_**Tonight.**_

The urge to go and apoligize swept over him once more, but he pushed it back, refusing to give in. Why should he say he was sorry? It wasn't like he KNEW that she was going to cry. Besides, he didn't care if she was upset or not, he thought as he tore his eyes from the ground below. Well, maybe he did, but it was only because he hated the sounds humans made when they were sad. They sounded so pathetic, so lost and helpless...and Kagome was no exception. It was always obvious when _she _was ready to cry. Her eyes would get that bright look to them, and her bottom lip would quiver just a little bit.

_**Clutching my cure**_

_**I tightly lock the door**_

_**I try to catch my breath again**_

The hanyou closed his eyes, trying to dispell the image of the girl. _Why can't I get her out of my head? _Right then, he wanted nothing more than to forget about women and all of their damn emotions, but it seemed as though that would be impossible. An image of the young miko's face hung suspended on the insides of his eyelids, her brown eyes warm and filled with a kindness that seemed alien to the lonely hanyou. With a vilolent shake of his head, Inuyasha finally managed to dispell the vision. A grunt escaped his lips as he brought his thoughts back to the aftermath of the incident with Gatenmaru. Kagome had stayed with him, when any other person would have run in fear.He had always known that Kagome cared deeply for him, and that she was the only one that had ever come close to understanding him. Even Kikyo, his first love, the woman that he had sworn his life and soul to, had failed to make him feel so complete.

_**I hurt much more**_

_**Than any time before**_

_**I had no options left again**_

_What would Kikyo have done if she had seen me in my demon form? _ The idea of the dead priestess's reaction saddened him. _She wouldn't have hestitated_, he thought. _She would have killed me. _He knew in his heart that Kagome would never hurt him. Even if it meant risking her own life, she would not leave his side. And Inuyasha knew that Kagome would give up everything to stay with him, simply because...

Because she loved him.

_**I don't want to be the one**_

_**the battles always choose**_

_**'Cause inside I realize**_

_**That I'm the one confused.**_

_So I guess the only question is, how do I feel about her? _

Well, some part of him cared, obviously. Otherwise he would not feel so protective of her. Even when she was safe in her own time, he still sat by the edge of the well, silently praying that she was all right. So why did his head keep telling him to push her away?

_**I don't know what's worth fighting for**_

_**or why I have to scream**_

_**I don't know why I instigate**_

_**and say what I don't mean**_

_**I don't know how I got this way**_

_**I'll never be all right**_

_**So I'm breaking the habit**_

_**I'm breaking the habit**_

_**Tonight.**_

Inuyasha sighed, confused. There were so many questions, but he had no answers for any of them. The contrasting voices of his head and his heart continued to battle as he leaned into the thick trunk of the Sacred Tree, and eventually his eyes grew heavy with sleep. It was as though someone had wrapped a warm blanket around his shoulders, leaving him with a feeling of safety and security that he hadn't felt since his early childhood. The hanyou tried to blink the sleep from his eyes, fighting the warmth as it spread to his tired muscles. But the mysterious drowsiness won out, and a pair of soft lids slid closed over the piercing eyes of the half demon.

_

* * *

_

_"Kagome, wait!" Inuyasha called after the girl, but she either couldn't hear him or chose to ignore him. She continued to run, her long, dark hair trailing behind her as she widened the distance between them._

_Inuyasha ran after her, refusing to let her go this time. When he finally caught sight of her, he drew back in suprise. Where there should have been grassy earth between them, there was now a deep, black chasm. When did that get there...? The thought was there and gone, as the hanyou brought his eyes up to meet those of the young miko. Her brown eyes were filled with tears, and an infinate sadness seemed to swirl in their depths. "Kagome..."_

_The girl remained silent. A long moment passed, and still she did not speak or move. Panic began to wind itself around the hanyou's heart, and he called out to her again. "Kagome!"_

_His voice seemed to stir something within the miko, and she lowered her head until her bangs conceled her eyes. Her arms grew tense as her hands tightened into fists, but still she remained silent. Another moment passed, and the tension continued to mount as the half demon waited for some kind of response. Why wasn't she saying anything? What was she waiting for?_

_Suddenly the chasm below began to glow, and Inuyasha tore his gaze from Kagome. Where was that light coming from? he wondered as he watched the glow rise from the bottomless depths. His question was answered soon enough as the light ascended to eye level, where it remained, suspended, in the air. After a moment the light dissapated, leaving in its place a lone figure._

_"Kikyo...what are you doing here?"_

_The priestess stared at him with cold, emotionless eyes. They had once held some measure of warmth, but even that had seemed closed off, even guarded. Kagome's eyes, on the other hand, were always warm, allowing anyone who cared to look a window straight into her soul. _

_The priestess began to move, and the action tore Inuyasha from his thoughts. She glided across the air, her moves slow and measured as she closed the distance between her and the edge of the chasm. But she did not move toward the hanyou...instead, she was headed toward the other side, toward Kagome..._

_"Kikyo! What are you doing?" He reached out to her, his heart pained at the thought of her turning away from him. At the same time, he also grew worried; what if she was after Kagome? The mixed emotions warred against each other as he stood there, helpless. Then he watched as Kikyo came to a halt next to her reincarnation. What was she going to do?_

_He did not have to wait long to find out. The older priestess grabbed the younger miko by the shoulders, and then raised her dark eyes to the hanyou who waited on the other side. _

_'Choose' she seemed to say as she glanced at the gaping hole between them. 'You must choose between your past and your future.' _

_"But...I can't choose! I still love you, Kikyo! But I...I also..."_

_'Choose now, hanyou. Who will it be?'_

_"I...I..."_

_'You were always a fool, Inuyasha. Now your indecision will cost you everything...'_

_"Kikyo, wait!"_

_The priestess tightened her grip on the younger girl's shoulders before pushing her forward toward the lip of the chasm. Kagome fell, her body limp like that of a rag doll, and only her eyes revealde the betrayal that screamed inside of her. _

_"Kagome!"_

_He watched as she tumbled forward into the black abyss._

_"No! I won't lose you! KAGOME!"_

_"Hang on!" Inuyasha dove to the ground and stretched his arm out as far as he could. His fingers barely brushed her hand, and the hanyou forced his arm to stretch farther. He could feel the limb pull from the socket, but he did not care. He had to save Kagome. _

_Her mouth moved, but he could not make out the words even as he managed to get a firm grip on her arm. "Kagome, I've got you!"_

_Still her lips formed words, and Inuyasha was finally able to understand. He locked eyes with her, refusing to accept what she was trying to tell him. But her eyes only confirmed what her voice could not seem to say. She wanted him to let her go. _

_"No...no, Kagome. I can't! I won't!" His voice was growing desparate, and the pain in his arm grew worse the longer he held onto her. "Kagome...why?" _

_But he knew why. He had betrayed her. He had turned her away time and time again, and now he was paying the final price. "No...Kagome...I can't lose you..."_

_'Why?' Her eyes seemed to cry out. 'Why can't you let me go?'_

_"Because, Kagome...because...I love you..."_

_

* * *

_

Inuyasha woke with a start as a stray beam of sunlight slipped through the heavy boughs of the tree. _Where am I? _he thought as he ran a shaky hand through his silver hair. Then the previous night came back to him, and he remember everything, including the strange dream. _I'm such a baka! I keep letting my pride get in the way, and now I may have lost her for good. I have to find her before it's too late._

_**I'll paint it on the walls**_

_**'Cause I'm the one at fault**_

_**I'll never fight again**_

_**And this is how it ends.**_

The hanyou leapt from the tree, landing in a dead run. He had to reach the well and find Kagome before his courage failed him again. And this time, he wouldn't let her go.

_**I don't know what's worth fighting for**_

_**or why I have to scream**_

_**But now I have some clarity **_

_**to show you what I mean**_

_**I don't know how I got this way**_

_**I'll never be all right**_

_**So I' breaking the habot**_

_**I'm beaking the habit**_

_**I'm breaking the habit **_

_**Tonight.**_

But as the hanyou raced toward the Bone-Eater's Well, leaving the clearing of the Goshinboku empty once more, he failed to notice the twin points of fire that shone through the leafy bushes in the early morning light.

* * *

**A/N: Well, I hope you guys like this. Inuyasha is a LOT harder to write for in this type of setting than I first thought. Anywho, I'm not getting a whole lot of feedback on this one, or on Castle for that matter, but to everyone who IS reviewing, THANK YOU!! :-) Also, I hope everyone had a happy holiday!**


	3. Finale

Finale: Confessions

The sun had crested the mountains several hours before, illuminating the world and chasing away the night. But even as the darkness retreated toward the western skies, there was movement below. A solitary figure bounded heedlessly through the dense forest, his path straight and true.

As he broke through the last of the trees, Inuyasha stopped. The glen that housed the Bone Eater's Well sat vacant and still, as though waiting for the hanyou's next move. Every sense was keyed as he slowly took the first step toward the ancient well, his amber eyes focused on the old splintered wood of the rim for any sign of movement.

_**I can't run anymore,  
I fall before you,  
Here I am,  
I have nothing left,  
**_

He stared down into the old well, his eyes searching. After finding nothing there except the dried bones of defeated demons, he let his shaking knees buckle. He collapsed to the ground, his arms leaning on the rim of the wooden structure for support. _Will she come back this time? Kami, I've been such a fool… _

_**Though I've tried to forget,  
You're all that I am,**_

The image of her smiling face once again haunted his vision, and part of him still wanted to nervously push it aside.

_**Take me home,  
I'm through fighting it,  
Broken,  
Lifeless,  
I give up,**_

_I won't do it anymore! I can't…she's all I have left now…I won't push her away anymore!_

_**You're my only strength,  
Without you,  
I can't go on,  
Anymore,  
Ever again.**_

His thoughts were interrupted by a slight change in the wind. Amber eyes widened, and the hanyou shifted himself onto his haunches to get a better look around. The strange feeling was emanating from the well…

A familiar purple light filled the bottom of the Bone Eater's Well, causing Inuyasha to leap to his feet. In moments the light began to fade, until finally it disappeared entirely. And there, left standing amidst the dirt and broken bones was Kagome.

_**My only hope,  
(All the times I've tried)  
My only peace,  
(To walk away from you)  
My only joy,  
My only strength,  
(I fall into your abounding grace)  
My only power,  
My only life,  
(And love is where I am)  
My only love.**_

Soft brown eyes turned up toward him, and for a moment Inuyasha could not tell what the girl was thinking. Fear and doubt clawed at his heart, keeping him from speaking the words his heart longed to say. Amber and brown eyes locked, their unanswered questions screaming for release.

The moment passed, and Inuyasha tore his eyes away, ashamed. He had done so much to hurt her, and yet here she was, once more giving up her life to stay with him. One graceful leap carried him to the bottom of the well and the girl who silently waited below.

A shiver traveled down Kagome's spine when the hanyou landed next to her. Because the bottom of the well was so small, his body was instantly pressed close to hers. Inuyasha's musky scent filled her nostrils, and the feel of his muscular body made her shiver once more.

The hanyou misinterpreted the movement as a chill and scooped the miko into his arms. He flashed Kagome a cautious smile before leaping out of the enclosed area and back into the early morning sunlight. Once they had settled back onto the earth, he gently set her down.

They stood there, facing each other in the small meadow. The morning birds chirped happily, filling the new day with their song. Kagome listened to the sound as she tried to still the frantic beating of her heart.

"Kagome …"

She shook her head in an attempt to silence him. "No Inuyasha…let me go first."

_**I can't run anymore,  
I give myself to you,  
I'm sorry,  
**_

"I did a lot of thinking while I was back home, Inuyasha. I thought about you, and me, and what we've become since the day the Shikon no Tama shattered. I…I don't know when it happened, but somewhere along the way I fell in love with you," she paused, staring deep into his eyes to make sure he was listening. "Since then, you've hurt me so many times…I thought that I would never get my heart back in one piece again."

"Kagome, I'm-"

"No," she held up a hand, touching his lips with one finger. "Let me finish. I never thought that love could hurt so much, Inuyasha. But then I realized something. No matter what happens between us, I will always love you," Kagome turned away slightly, laughing lightly. "No matter how much it hurts, I can't deny it." Now she looked up, her eyes glistening with tears. "I can't run anymore, Inuyasha. I can't hide my feelings away and pretend they don't exist. I need to love you, whether you can return the feeling or not."

Inuyasha's heart ached as he watched the tears slip from her eyes. He gently reached up to brush them away, the salty tears disappearing beneath his touch. The hanyou let his hand linger for a moment longer, and he reveled in the soft feel of her skin. "Kagome, I…"

_**I'm sorry,  
In all my bitterness,  
I ignored,  
All that's real and true,  
All I need is you,**_

The words that he had longed to say for so long suddenly began to form on his lips. His heart began to race, and his body felt charged in a way he had never felt before. He knew that this was right; that this was the way things were meant to be. Now, Inuyasha had only to say the words, and he could finally find his salvation.

But before the words could be said, an odd silence fell over the glen. Instantly Inuyasha was on the alert; eyes, ears and nose all scanning the area for the source of the disturbance.

"What is it Inuyasha?"

"Kagome, get behind me. Now!" The girl quickly did as she was told, her mahogany eyes widening in sudden fear.

They did not have to wait long to find out what was coming. The place in the tree line where Inuyasha had burst through earlier parted, revealing a demon that towered over the pair.

Kagome gasped as the creature stepped into the meadow, offering a full view of itself. It was canine in appearance, with a long, pointed snout extending out from beneath the dark beady eyes. The ears of the beast, which were pressed back against its head, were torn and ragged. Both of the ears, along with the rest of the demon's body, were with dark hair that was matted with dirt and dried blood.

"Who are you?" Inuyasha demanded.

The youkai snarled, the act pulling its lips back to reveal rows of razor sharp teeth. "Finally, I have found them!"

Inuyasha snorted. "Found what, you mangy wolf?"

"The Shikon Jewel shards, you have them! Give them to me!" the demon shouted as it stepped forward.

Unconsciously, Kagome brought one hand to her breast where the shards hung in their bottle. "He's after the shards, Inuyasha!"

The half-demon lifted his sword, his eyes never leaving the approaching beast. "Yeah, well, he can't have 'em! Wind Scar!"

As the Tetsusaiga crashed down to the earth, the waves of power spread toward the wolf-like youkai. Both Inuyasha and Kagome were forced to look away as the light from the attack brightened. With their eyes averted, they failed to see the demon dodge the attack.

It ran toward them, murder shining in its feral eyes. Before the giant paws could reach them, however, Inuyasha sensed the attack. He pushed Kagome out of the way just in time to keep the thick claws from slicing through her.

"Inuyasha!" she cried. She watched as the youkai's blow connected, sending the hanyou flying. He landed in a heap several feet away, and he wasn't moving. Instinct brought Kagome to her feet, and she ran to where the half demon lay. "Inuyasha, are you all right?"

There was no answer. Kagome did not have the chance to ask him again, for the demon was preparing to attack. She turned toward the youkai, rage burning in her eyes. "Don't come any closer!"

_**When night falls on me,  
I'll not close my eyes,**_

_**I'm too alive,**_

_**And you're too strong,**_

The demon laughed at the sight before him. "You pathetic human, are you actually trying to protect him? How can you expect to win against me?" he lunged at Kagome, claws extended.

Pain erupted in her abdomen as the youkai sliced through her flesh. The force of the hit sent her limp body into the air, with thick droplets of crimson spraying from the fresh wound. She screamed in agony as she landed, her body instantly crumpling to the ground. The last thing Kagome saw before the darkness closed in was a pair of amber eyes staring at her in shock.

Inuyasha had revived just in time to watch as the demon's paw crashed into Kagome, slicing through clothing and skin. She was thrown to the side like an old rag doll, her brown eyes locking onto him before sliding shut.

_**I can't lie anymore,  
I fall down before you,  
I'm sorry,  
I'm sorry**_

"No! Kagome!" Inuyasha staggered to his feet, disbelief and fear gripping at his heart. The sound of the demon's laughter echoed through the clearing, and Inuyasha forced himself to tear his gaze away from the girl's still form. "You bastard!" he spat. Rage consumed him, and he raised his sword high into the air. A vicious growl escaped from his throat, erupting into a roar as he called once more upon the power of his weapon. "Wind Scar!"

The sheer energy that exploded from the Tetsusaiga shook the earth, but Inuyasha did not care. He placed every ounce of hatred that dwelled in his heart into the blow, and the force of it rushed forward in a blaze of holy light.

The hanyou barely heard the scream that was ripped from the youkai's throat as it disintegrated. Instead, he let the sword tip fall to the ground and leaned heavily upon it for a moment. Then he sheathed the weapon and turned away.

_Kagome, _his mind repeated her name like a mantra. Inuyasha forced his wooden legs to move until he stood over the girl's tattered body. Her shirt was shredded from the demon's claws, and Inuyasha could see her crimson blood seeping from the open wounds. Numbly, he dropped down beside her, pulling her head into his lap. "Kagome…"

_**My only hope,  
(All the times I've tried)  
My only peace,  
(To walk away from you)  
My only joy,  
My only strength,  
(I fall into your abounding grace)  
My only power,  
My only life,  
(And love is where I am)  
My only love.**_

Her eyes fluttered open and slowly focused on the anxious hanyou. "Are you all right?" she asked him.

Inuyasha stared at her in disbelief. "You baka, of course I'm all right! What the hell did you think you were doing!"

"I had to protect you…"

"Feh, what did you think you could do? Anyway, I can take care of myself." His face softened as he shifted his position slightly. "Now lie still and let me look at your wounds." Inuyasha carefully lifted the edge of her shirt, and he grimaced as he felt the sticky blood beneath. He sighed in relief as he examined the damage. The cuts were deep and bleeding profusely, but if they were treated soon enough she would survive.

"Will I be OK?"

Inuyasha shifted his gaze back to her face his voice with tight with emotion as he spoke. "You'll be fine. We just have to get you bandaged up." He gently placed his arms beneath her, lifting her into the air and cradling her close against his chest. As she leaned into his embrace she whimpered softly in pain. Amber eyes quickly focused on the miko, both sympathy and worry etched clearly across his features. Her eyes shone bright, burning with the agony that Inuyasha knew she must be feeling. But there was something else, hiding just beneath the surface, which tore at the hanyou's heart. It was love; pure, untainted love. That's why she had stood over him, refusing to run even though she had no chance of winning. And why she had stayed by his side, even after witnessing his slaughter of Gatenmaru's men.

That's why she had come back to him, even after he had thrown that selfless devotion back in her face.

_**Constantly ignoring,  
The pain consuming me,  
But this time it's cut too deep,  
I'll never stray again.**_

"Inuyasha…" her eyes were drifting closed; she was losing the battle to stay conscious.

**_My only hope,_**

"Kagome…" even as he said her name, he watched her eyes slowly shut. But his heart would no longer be denied, and so he continued. "All the times I've tried…"

_**My only peace,**_

"…to walk away from you; my only joy, my only strength…"

**_(I fall into your abounding grace),_**

_**My only power,**_

**_My only life_**,

**_(and love is where I am)_**

He leaned down, maneuvering one hand so that he could brush away the tears that silently wound down the girl's cheek. Before launching into the air, he bent forward to whisper something tenderly into her ear.

The soft rustle of clothing was the only sound in the glen as the hanyou leapt into the air. And as he sprinted toward Keade's village with his precious burden clutched close to his chest, he swore that he could hear her repeat the words back to him.

"My only love."

* * *

A/N: Well folks, there it is; the end! I know Inuyasha seems slightly OOC at the end here, but that's partly what I wanted. Love can make you sound completely different sometimes, and the words that you choose can occasionally be totally different than what you'd expect. Make any sense? I thought not, lol. Anywho, let me know what you think. I hope you guys enjoyed my very first songfic! 

_**  
**_

**_  
_**


End file.
